Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain

The Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain is a diplomatic office of the Holy See in Great Britain. It is headed by the Apostolic Nuncio who has the rank of an ambassador. The office has existed since the parties agreed to exchange representatives at the ambassadorial level in 1982.[1] Before then, the interests of the Holy See in Great Britain had been represented by an Apostolic Delegate since 1938, though not granted diplomatic status until 1979.[2] The decision to designate the nuncio to Great Britain rather than the United Kingdom reflected the complex and frequently antagonistic relationship between the Holy See and the British crown since they severed ties in the sixteenth century. British government sources said it had been agreed that the nuncio in London would concern himself with matters in England, Scotland and Wales, while the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, based in Dublin, would have within his purview the entire island of Ireland.[1]

Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to Great Britain
LocationWimbledon, London
Address54 Parkside,
London,
SW19 5NE
Coordinates51.4361°N 0.2239°W / 51.4361; -0.2239
Apostolic NuncioVacant
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The office of the nunciature is in London, located in Wimbledon, at 54 Parkside, lying within the Archdiocese of Southwark and overlooking Wimbledon Common. It was the only diplomatic mission in London located south of the river Thames until the United States Embassy opened its new premises in Vauxhall in 2018. The Nuncio to Great Britain is also the papal representative to Gibraltar.[3]

The nunciature is currently vacant. Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the last Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Edward Joseph Adams on 31 January 2020 after he reached the retirement age of 75. He had been appointed on 8 April 2017.

History
Further information: Holy See–United Kingdom relations

Formal diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See resumed in 1914 and an Apostolic Delegation to Great Britain was established on 21 November 1938.[4] The Apostolic Delegation to Great Britain was promoted to the rank of an Apostolic Nunciature by Pope John Paul II in 1982.[5]

List of office holders
Office From Until Post Holder Notes
Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain 21 November 1938 10 November 1953 William Godfrey Previously, a priest in Liverpool. Left after being appointed Archbishop of Liverpool
8 June 1954 16 July 1963 Gerald Patrick Aloysius O'Hara Previously, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland. Died in office
4 October 1963 19 April 1969 Igino Eugenio Cardinale Previously a priest. Left after being appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium
26 April 1969 16 July 1973 Domenico Enrici Previously, Apostolic Delegate to Australia. Left after being appointed an official of the Secretariat of State
16 July 1973 22 February 1982 Bruno Bernard Heim Previously Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Arab Republic of Egypt. Retired
Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Great Britain 22 February 1982 July 1985
21 January 1986 13 April 1993 Luigi Barbarito Previously, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Australia. Retired
Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain 13 April 1993 31 July 1997
31 July 1997[6] 23 October 2004 Pablo Puente Buces Previously, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait. Retired.
11 December 2004 5 December 2010 Faustino Sainz Muñoz Previously, Apostolic Nuncio to European Community. Retired.
18 December 2010 1 March 2017 Antonio Mennini Previously, Apostolic Nuncio to Uzbekistan. Subsequently appointed an official of the Secretariat of State
8 April 2017 31 January 2020[7] Edward Adams Previously, Apostolic Nuncio to Greece. Retired.

See also

References
  1. Apple, R.W. (7 February 1982). "Pope Sees Hope of Unity in Renewed Ties to Britain". New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. "Papal Envoy in Britain Is Received by Queen". New York Times. Associated Press. 19 March 1982. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. Matthew Bunson (2008). Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac 2009. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. pp. 256. ISBN 978-1-59276-441-9.
  4. "Nunciature to Great Britain". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  5. Nunciature to Great Britain at GCatholic.org. Retrieved on 11 June 2013.
  6. Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). LXXXXIX. 1997. p. 671. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  7. "Resignations and Appointments, 31.01.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.

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